#IfWeAreInARelationship

May 16, 2012Brian

Around Valentine’s Day, the Twitter hash tag #IfWeAreInARelationship was all abuzz with users retweeting “#IfWeAreInARelationship lets keep it between us..not facebook and twitter.” In just a few days time, this statement was tweeted almost 10,000 times. Since then, it has been retweeted tens of thousands more times. Even celebrities are getting into the act. Just today (May 16th, 2012) it was tweeted by Shia LaBeouf !

Obviously, the irony of using social media to complain about airing out one’s relationship grievances on social media is not lost on anyone. But the number of tweets are truly staggering, bringing to light the problems social media is causing on relationships.

Too often people are saying terrible things about their exes on Facebook or lamenting they aren’t getting enough attention from their current companion via Twitter. In truth, as emotionally mature human beings, we should not have to turn to social media to find out our partner has a problem. Social media is clearly eroding our ability to communicate directly with the people we love.

“These posts on social media allow you to control the communication with others because it’s one-way,” explains Colorado-based clinical psychologist Dr. Neil E. Rand, Ph.D. in an article on CBS News’ website Tech Talk. “It gives the illusion of control.” And in truth, if the person you are venting about isn’t a Facebook friend, then it gives you a one-way conversation in which your side of the story is the only one represented. We used to vent to our closest confidants. Now we vent to everybody.

Tell us your stories of people airing your relationship problems via social media! Leave us a comment.